Legal Q&A: Certification, license needed to manage property?

October 27, 2015

Question: We lease out a condominium and do not wish to renew the lease when it expires. Should we give a 90-, 60- or 30-day notice? What form should we use to terminate the lease?

Ted Kimball
Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP

Answer: California law does not require any notice prior to a fixed-lease expiration. However, examine your lease since many leases do require a notice of intent of non-renewal. Typically, they are for 30 days. It is always a good idea to communicate your intentions to your tenants as early as possible and document the communication.

Question: Can you tell me if someone needs any kind of certification or license to manage property in California? I want to hire someone to manage some of my smaller (less than 10 units) buildings. This person will accept rent, give out notices, handle complaints, and supervise maintenance work.

Answer: They are required to be a licensed real estate broker in order to manage property in California for a third party. An exception is for a manager who lives on-site.

Question: Am I within my legal rights to ignore oral notices and demand written 30-day notice for a month-to-month lease termination?

Answer: Yes, California law requires termination notices to be in writing.

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a full service real estate law firm representing residential and commercial property owners and managers. This article is for general information purposes only. Laws may have changed since this article was published. Before acting, be sure to receive legal advice from our office. If you have questions, please contact your local KTS office. For contact information, please visit our website: www.kts-law.com. For past Legal Alerts, Questions & Answers, and Legal Articles, please consult the resource library section of our website.

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